Behind and Before God Formed Adam and the Unborn Child

Another interpretation of "When a woman emits seed" (Leviticus 12:2). This is what Scripture says: "Behind and before You have formed me, and You have laid Your hand upon me" (Psalms 139:5). The verse speaks of the first Adam. [Rabbi Yochanan] said: It is written concerning him two formations, two yods — "And the Lord God formed (va-yiytzer) the human" (Genesis 2:7) — one formation in this world and one for the world to come. But concerning the beast, the wild animal, and the bird, only one formation is written: "And the Lord God formed (va-yitzer) out of the ground every wild animal of the field" (Genesis 2:19). Therefore it says "Behind and before You have formed me." Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: "Behind" refers to the work of the sixth day, and "before" to the work of the first day. What is the reason? For Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: "And the spirit of God hovered upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2) — this is the soul of the first Adam. Therefore it says "Behind and before You have formed me": "behind" to the work of the sixth day, and "before" to the work of the first day. Rabbi Eleazar ben Pedat says: "Behind" refers to the work of the sixth day, and "before" to the work of the sixth day. How so? Six things did the Holy One, blessed be He, create on the sixth day, and these are they: living soul, beast, creeping thing, wild animal of the earth, Adam, and Eve. And the soul of Adam was created first, as it is said, "Let the earth bring forth a living soul" (Genesis 1:24); and "living soul" is none other than the soul of Adam, as it is said, "And the human became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). Behold, "before" refers to the work of the sixth day, and "behind" to the sixth day, since He was occupied with him all of the sixth day. Thus "Behind and before You have formed me": "behind" to the work of the sixth day, and "before" to the work of the sixth day. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: What is "behind and before"? Two faces, male and female. Thus it says "Behind and before You have formed me." Adam said: After the Holy One, blessed be He, created every beast and wild animal, He created me. So too this infant: before it goes forth from its mother's womb, the Holy One, blessed be He, commands it concerning this, "Eat," and concerning that, "Do not eat" — "and this is unclean for you" (Leviticus 11:29). And once it has accepted upon itself, in its mother's womb, all the commandments that are in the Torah, afterward it is born, as it is said, "When a woman emits seed and bears a male" (Leviticus 12:2).